The Seven Stars (9 page)

*

Hannah was locking her front door as Webb came down from his flat the next morning. He waited for her and they descended the last flight together.

‘
How was the party on Saturday?’ he inquired.

‘
Very good, as always. The usual fabulous food.’

‘
And company?’

‘
Well up to standard. Monica and George were there. In fact, I’m going to a fashion show at Randall Tovey’s this evening.’

Webb made no comment. He had met the couple during the course of a murder investigation
, which, he thought regretfully, was how he seemed to meet most people. Miss Tovey, she’d been then, was a long-term friend of Hannah’s.

Hannah
, glancing sideways at his grave face, said contritely, ‘I’m so sorry about Paris. Did you enjoy your free weekend?’

‘
I did some painting. And Chris Ledbetter called to say they’d found the hit-and-run car — here in Shillingham, if you please. It had been stolen, naturally, and there was no sign of the driver.’

‘
Perhaps they’ll find something to give them a lead.’

On emerging from the front door they separated
, Webb turning towards the garages and Hannah to the gate for her short walk to Ashbourne.

He hadn
’t forgiven her for being with Charles, she thought as she started down the hill. But Charles was a governor of the school and there was no way she could avoid seeing him, even if she wanted to. Which she didn’t, she told herself rebelliously. David would have to learn to trust her. At which point the memory of Charles’s kiss brought a stab of guilt and, quickening her step, she determinedly put it out of her mind.

*

Sir Clifford Rudge was, as the class had anticipated, an out-standing speaker, and they listened enthralled as he sketched the social background to the artefacts shown in the slides, explaining that the fashions of the day influenced the style of furniture, and illustrating his point with the larger chairs introduced to accommodate the crinoline.

Eager to learn all she could from him
, she was thankful he would be with them for two days. She would willingly have listened indefinitely to his cultured voice, soaking up the knowledge he so effortlessly imparted.

Valentine Perry continually tried to ingratiate himself with the lecturer and
, though Helen knew the answers to several of the questions thrown to the class, she resolutely kept quiet. All the same, if the chance offered, she intended to have a word with Sir Clifford herself. He might be able to advise her on her hoped-for return to the world of antiques.

*

Webb had arrived at his office to be greeted with news of an attempted break-in at Beckworth House.

‘
They slipped up on the alarm,’ Crombie told him. ‘Thought they’d disconnected it, but triggered it somehow once they were inside. It’s wired to Lethbridge, and as luck would have it, they had a car in the area.’

‘
Any sight of the villains?’

‘
Only fleeting. They fled into the grounds and presumably over the wall.’

‘
How many?’

‘
Two, it seems, but no description. It was dark and they were only spotted at a distance.’ Crombie tipped his chair on to its back legs and regarded Webb over his spectacles. ‘No saying, of course, if this is Chummie or just a copycat job.’

Webb said gloomily
, ‘Probably the latter; Chummie hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. Was anything worthwhile found at the scene?’

‘
Not so far, though the SOCOs are still up there. The villains broke a small pane of glass and managed to reach in and unlock the window. Once inside they opened the French windows for an easy getaway, and had to use it earlier than planned. There’s no report of anything missing.’

Webb frowned.
‘Was there much in that room that they could have taken?’

‘
Plenty, from all accounts.’

‘
And they made no attempt to grab anything as they fled?’

‘
Apparently not.’ Crombie paused. ‘I catch your drift. If they were that particular, perhaps it was Chummie after all.’

‘
It crossed my mind,’ Webb conceded.
‘If
it was, perhaps this will give him pause, make him wonder if his luck is running out at last.’

‘
That’ll be the day,’ Crombie said caustically and, returning his chair to terra firma, pulled a pile of papers towards him.

6

Hannah always enjoyed visits to Randall Tovey
’s; there was a feeling of luxury about the place, and the assistants under the redoubtable Miss Tulip were efficient and helpful, reluctant to sell an outfit, however expensive, unless it was right for that particular customer.

In the foyer on this cold January evening a log fire blazed fiercely
, and uniformed waitresses stood ready with trays of sherry glasses.

The normal displays of accessories — belts
, hats, shoes and handbags — had been removed, and their places taken by chairs arranged in a semi-circle, with a printed programme on each seat. The models would, as always, descend the wide, shallow staircase, display themselves to the assembled company, and retire through the tearoom, returning upstairs by way of the back stairs to change quickly and reappear in another outfit. And afterwards, wine and canapés would be served in the upstairs showroom.

Hannah took her glass of sherry and looked about her with pleasurable anticipation. Such was the reputation of the store that the biannual fashion shows were considered part of the social calendar and invitations much sought after. These had been collected at the door by a uniformed attendant
, and failure to produce one resulted in a polite denial of admission.

The smartest
, and some of the wealthiest, women in the county milled happily about, greeting friends and discreetly taking stock of each other’s clothes. Hannah nodded to the mothers of several of her girls as she went to join her friend Dilys Hayward. But just as she reached her, Miss Tulip took up a position on the bottom stair and clapped her hands.

‘
If you would take your seats, ladies, the show is about to begin.’

‘
Sounds like the City Varieties!’ Dilys whispered irreverently as they sat down in the front row of chairs. Once everyone was seated, Monica Latimer came down the staircase, casually elegant in a lavender cashmere two-piece, and stopped on the bottom step which Miss Tulip had now vacated.

‘
Your Grace, Your Ladyships, distinguished guests, ladies. Good evening and welcome to the preview of our spring collections. I’m delighted so many of you were able to come, and hope you will have an enjoyable evening. If you have a particular interest in any of the clothes modelled Miss Tulip or one of her assistants will be available to answer your queries during the refreshments.

‘
Now, if you would like to refer to your programmes, I’ll take you through the collections as the girls come down. And to begin the evening —’

One after another
, the latest designs of world-famous couturiers were paraded before them. Suits, dresses, sportswear and ball gowns followed each other in a succession of dazzling colours, perfect cut and luxurious fabrics, ending, as always, with three or four outstanding wedding dresses. It was faultlessly stage-managed, and glancing round at the rapt faces, Hannah estimated Randall Tovey’s would be several thousand pounds in profit as a result of this evening’s entertainment. She might even succumb to one of the cocktail dresses herself, though she and Dilys had been invited as personal friends rather than customers.

Overheard comments as they made their slow way
upstairs confirmed Hannah’s impression of the success of the occasion. Monica stood at the top, shaking hands and receiving congratulations from her guests. Hannah and Dilys, who had arranged to meet her later, paused only briefly to add their own before moving to the long buffet table to fill their plates. Already the assistants were being cornered by prospective buyers anxious to make appointments for fittings.

Lady Ursula Rudge was sitting on one of the couches
, a glass of wine in her hand and a plate on her lap. Hannah steered Dilys in her direction. ‘Lady Ursula, how are you? I don’t think you’ve met my friend, Dilys Hayward?’

The older woman
’s face lit with interest. ‘The author? My dear, how exciting! I’m reading one of your books at the moment.’

Dilys smiled.
‘I hope you’re enjoying it?’

‘
Immensely. It’s the one they did on television a few years back — I’m afraid I can’t remember the title.’

‘
Changing
Times
,
’
Dilys supplied.

‘
That’s the one — the family saga. It brings back my own girlhood.’

Hannah left them chatting and went to have a politic word with Christina French
, whose daughter had caused some upsets the previous term. It struck her that Mrs French, as always impeccably dressed, was one of Randall Tovey’s best advertisements.

It was crowded and hot in the upstairs room and the
volume of conversation rose steadily. Nevertheless, Hannah was enjoying herself, greeting acquaintances, exchanging items of news and allowing her glass to be refilled by passing waitresses. Eventually, catching sight of Monica further down the room, she started towards her, intending to ask how soon they could escape to the Vine Leaf for a quiet chat.

But Miss Tulip reached Monica first
, caught hold of her arm and pulled her urgently aside.

Hannah stopped
, frowning. Something was wrong; the woman’s face was chalk-white and against it circles of rouge glowed garishly like the cheeks of a Dutch doll. Hannah saw Monica gasp. Then she turned swiftly and, with Miss Tulip close behind her, began to edge her way rapidly through the crowd. Hannah craned to see where she was heading, and saw her push open the door of the ladies’ cloakroom.

Someone must have been taken ill
, she thought: then, with sudden anxiety, looked for Lady Ursula, who was no longer sitting on the couch. Perhaps she’d been overcome by the heat?

In her turn
, Hannah too started in the direction of the cloakroom, looking about her as she went, and to her relief caught sight of the old lady just ahead of her. She was shaking her wrist and holding it to her ear.

‘
Have you any idea of the time, my dear?’ she asked as Hannah reached her. ‘My watch seems to have stopped.’

‘
A quarter to eight,’ Hannah told her, thankful to find nothing wrong. ‘Is your husband calling for you?’

‘
No, he’s in Steeple Bayliss this evening.’

Of course; the lectures at Melbray
, which necessitated his absence from tomorrow’s governors’ meeting.

‘
Then how are you getting home?’ Hannah asked. ‘If you need a lift —’

‘
Not at all, my dear, thank you. Jenkins is coming for me at eight o’clock.’

Stupid of her to forget the Rudges
’ chauffeur. ‘There’s a quarter of an hour to go, then, and it’s getting hotter and noisier by the minute. Would you like me —?’

She broke off at the sound of a handbell which Miss Tulip
, still white-faced, was ringing frantically and which eventually cut through the hum of conversation until it tailed off uncertainly into silence. From the end of the room, Monica addressed the throng.

‘
Ladies, I’m afraid something rather distressing has happened. Mrs Stacey-Blythe has mislaid her emerald and diamond ring; she took it off to wash her hands in the cloakroom and when she turned back after drying them, it had disappeared. The room was crowded at the time, and it’s possible one of you caught it up with your own things without noticing. I should be most grateful if those of you who’ve been to the cloakroom in the last five minutes could please check.’

There was a murmur of consternation and one or two women near Hannah obediently opened their handbags and searched inside.

‘Perhaps it was knocked to the floor and kicked under a basin?’ someone suggested.

Monica shook her head.
‘We’ve had a thorough search and there’s no sign of it.’

‘
What about the attendant?’ asked someone else and, as Monica prepared to vouch for her staff, added hastily, ‘She might have seen something.’

‘
Apparently not.’ Monica paused. ‘Have you all looked in your bags? Or pockets, if you have any? The ring could have caught on rough material if someone bent over it to look in the mirror.’

‘
She’s clutching at straws,’ murmured someone behind Hannah.

A woman appeared at Monica
’s side, her face distraught as she caught at her arm.

‘
It’s no use beating about the bush,’ she said hysterically. ‘Someone’s taken it. They must have done. I insist you call the police immediately.’

There was a stunned silence
, then an outbreak of indignant protest. Monica’s voice cut through it. ‘This is extremely embarrassing, ladies, but it seems I have no choice. I’m sure everything will be cleared up soon, but in the meantime I’d be grateful if you all remained here. There’s plenty of food and wine left, so do please help yourselves.’

Dilys
, appearing at Hannah’s side, commented, ‘Poor Monica — what a thing to happen.’

‘
It has to be a mistake,’ Hannah said positively. ‘It’s just not possible that anyone here —’

‘
If
the ring was taken, either deliberately or not,’ Dilys went on, ‘this could all be too late; several people have already left, and although they can be contacted, they’ll have had time to dispose of it.’

‘
What’s so disturbing,’ Lady Ursula murmured, ‘is that it must be one of us. It’s not as though there have been gatecrashers; the doorman was most meticulous in admitting only those with invitations.’

Hannah said
, ‘I’m going to see if there’s anything I can do.’

Monica was by this time surrounded by an angry throng
, all complaining that their cars would be waiting for them and they had further engagements to go on to. Hannah went to her side.

‘
Please, everyone — I’m sure you understand how difficult this is for Miss Tovey.’ Monica was known professionally by her unmarried name. ‘Your patience would be much appreciated. Perhaps some coffee might be a good idea?’

She turned to Monica
, who nodded gratefully.

‘
Thanks, Hannah. Could you ask a couple of the girls to see to it? The tearoom will have everything that’s required.’

Their better natures appealed to
, most of the voluble ladies around Monica began to drift away and Hannah added quietly, ‘Is someone on the door?’

‘
Yes, that was the first thing I saw to. But Hannah, most of these women are friends as well as customers. If they take offence —’

‘
They won’t; when they’ve calmed down, they’ll see there’s nothing else you could have done. Have you sent for the police?’

‘
Tulip’s doing it now. I just can’t believe this. The evening was going so well.’

She turned as the Honourable Mrs Stacey-Blythe
reappeared.

‘
I’ve been having another search,’ she announced, her voice shaking. ‘I keep telling myself it just has to be there, but it isn’t.’

‘
Exactly what happened?’ Hannah asked her.

‘
I took my ring off to wash my hands. I don’t usually bother, but one of the claws is jagged — I’ve been meaning to take it to the jeweller — and I didn’t want it to catch on the towel. I turned away for only a minute —’

‘
Can you remember who was standing near you?’ Hannah inquired, aware of Monica’s startled glance.

‘
No, it was pretty crowded. I’d been speaking to Mrs Ponsonby — she helped me look for it — but I didn’t know any of the other ladies.’

‘
Would you recognise them?’

‘
I shouldn’t think so, I didn’t pay any attention at the time.’

Hannah glanced at Monica
’s worried face. ‘Well, the police will know what to do. I’ll go and see about that coffee.’

*

Inspector John Baker replaced the phone and went to the outer office. ‘I’ll need some WPCs to accompany me to Randall Tovey’s. A valuable ring has gone missing.’

‘
At this hour, sir?’ queried Sergeant Thomson, glancing at the wall clock.

‘
They’re having some kind of function. The gathering is predominately, if not entirely, female, and body searches will probably be necessary. How many women officers are on this shift?’

Thomson consulted the duty roster.
‘Penton, Crossley and Vane,’ he said.

‘
Are they in the building?’

‘
I’ll check, sir.’

‘
I want them in the car park on the double. We might need back-up but we’ll see how it goes.’

‘
If they’re at Randall Tovey’s, sir, they’re not going to be your usual type of villain,’ WPC Crossley ventured as they drove up Duke Street.

‘
Which means a great deal of tact will be necessary. Nonetheless, if this ring
has
been nicked and not just mislaid, one of them at least is no better than she should be.’